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What keeps the camshaft in your small block Chevy, hmmmmm?


(ONLY the timing cover and a nylon button! A Ford has a bearing plate!)


Just stirring the pot! Actually, they're both bulletproof when set up right!

I LOVE Ford V-8s (I own 2). Bulletproof, and my sister proved that... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> ... but the Achilles Heel of the 302 (not sure about the 289) is they will overheat quickly. The Chevy 350 will go a while longer without coolant.

Coolant?

You don neeed noo steeen-king cooo-lant?

Not for about 30 minutes in a 'big block' American Motors 287 C.I. V-8, anyway! The 327 (bored out 287 and NEVER built by Chevy) was about as good. I tried to burn up one in a '64 Rambler Classic I had with a bad radiator (a sleeper, if I ever owned one). It finally quit and seized up, smoking hot.

A week later I tried to start it for grins, and it did! So, I changed the oil and replaced the radiator, put the coolant back in and drove that engine another 30,000 miles before I junked the car, and the engine was still good even then!!! (well, it DID smoke a little after I tried to kill it!)

Try that with your electronically controlled, 1 horse (plus) per cube, turbocharged, fuel injected, aluminum head, high rpm, 4-cylinder buzz bombs!

Oh yes, my Chevy small block has powered more derby cars than I can remember. I do remember one particular derby, my front end got pushed back too far and the fan chewed through the radiator and I lost every drop of coolant. She ran fine for over 30 mins without any water! Many times you can see the stacks glowing red!
Mmmmm...I love the smell of hot engines and the sound of twisting metal!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Oooo I want to try! Just not with my cars!

The 327 WASN'T Chevy?!

Then why in the heck was there one in my dad's Corvette?

Not the American Motors 327ci engine, no! Same bore and stroke as the small block Chevy 327, but that was all. It had the same block as the 287ci ..... as big and heavy as a Ford 390ci.

While it couldn't compare to a Chevy 327 in most applications, it was a sleeper in it's own right. With a Holley double pumper and coupled to that bulletproof Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic, linked to the rear end through a torque tube and CV joint, It would smoke a set of J60-14's for a city block (of course, you had to rev it to 5 grand plus and drop it in low to break 'em free). There were very few (read none) speed parts available for this engine, so it never reached it's true potential.

Actually, the Northstar V8 used by Cadillac can be run without coolant precisely because it's electronically controlled, fuel-injected, aluminum head and block, blah, blah, blah.

The computer watches the coolant temp and levels. If all of the coolant is lost, the computer switches into a limp-home mode. It cuts power to half the cylinders, allowing them to breathe in cooling air while the other half works. It then switches to the other half. It alternates in this fashion, allowing you drive up to 100 miles at 50MPH without a single drop of coolant and no damage to the engine.

Cool! (pardon the pun)

Seems like Cadillac had another "now you need them ... now you don't" great idea in the 80's that didn't pan out too well. Electronic controls are much better now, though.

But, it still doesn't qualify as one of those overworked little 4-cylinder buzz bombs!

Carl,
Wasn't that the engine AMC had in the AMX? They were VERY quick. Ate my Mustang and $50 right up one Saturday night outside of town. Never did that again!
Bob